Monday, August 1, 2016

Cover Reveal Blitz: Lord of a Thousand Steps by Tara Lain

Lord of a Thousand Steps

(Love in Laguna #4)

by Tara Lain

Blurb:

To architecture student Ian Carney, family means everything. Taken in by his brother, Jim, when his father threw him out at eighteen for being gay, Ian yearns to create his own family with his boyfriend, Rico. But Rico’s in Mexico caring for a sick father, Ian hasn’t had sex in a month and a half, and his gorgeous boss, Braden Lord, CEO of the architectural firm Ian interns for, is looking better and better.

Braden’s life is chaos. Just out of the closet and going through an ugly divorce from his wife of fifteen years who’s trying to take custody of his two children, he desperately resolves not to succumb to a completely inappropriate attraction to Ian—even though his kids adore both the man and his crazy cat.

When Rico proves to be a snake in the grass and Ian exercises his powers of seduction, what starts as a “friends with benefits” fling turns into real life real fast. Can Ian give up his romantic dreams for an “old guy” who didn’t come out until he carried a mountain of baggage? It’ll only take a thousand steps.

“Uh,
yes. Thanks.” He steadied his glass to keep from spilling, looked up as Braden
Lord stepped next to him, and proceeded to slosh champagne all over Lord’s
elegant, European leather shoes. “Oh God, I’m so sorry.”

“Yes,
not a problem.” Braden smiled at Ian. Up close, that face looked a little less
pretty but even more interesting, with crinkles around his eyes like from
laughter—and pain. “Need more champagne?”

“Oh,
I guess I better not. It seems like I can’t handle it.”

“Something
else, then?” Lord looked in his eyes.

Whoa, what
an offer. Get your mind out of your boxer briefs, idiot. “No thanks.
I guess I should go soon.”

Max
leaned toward him. “How’s your boyfriend’s father?”

“Uh,
I don’t know.” Did he sound as pathetic as he felt? “I mean, the cell service
isn’t great.”

“Oh,
I heard it had gotten so much better the last couple years.”

“I
guess not.”

Lord
put a hand on his shoulder. “No, I’ve had cell problems in Mexico. It can be
spotty. Probably worse if you’re in a hospital.”

As
the heat from Braden’s hand seeped through his cheap sports coat, Ian half
wanted to cry and half to kiss Braden Lord. Right, Rico was in a hospital. He couldn’t
use the phone. Shit, why hadn’t he thought of that? “Thank you.”

“For
what?” Lord smiled softly. He knows what.

“Reminding
me that I should leave him a message he can read when he goes home. Thanks
again. I better go. I have school tomorrow.” He shook the hands of the two
clients he’d been chatting with. “I hope to see you again. You’re in great
hands with Lord and Kendrick.” He turned. “Max, I’ll see you Monday.” He turned
back to Braden but looked at his feet. “Sorry again. I hope I didn’t stain your
shoes.”

“Nothing
to worry about.”

Look up,
dummy.
He plastered on a smile and met Braden’s deep sea-blue eyes. “Thanks again for
inviting me. Honored.” You can drown in
the sea.

Shit. Give
me one chance to impress, and I’ll spill something every time. Holy fuckhole,
how does a guy get that gorgeous? “Night.”

Max
said, “Don’t you need a ride?”

“Nah,
thanks. The office is close and my car’s there.” He waved and practically ran
to the door of Antonio’s. Outside, the nightly drop in temperature slapped his
face. Had he been flirting with the boss? Hell, the boss’s boss? Nah. Just
shitting on his shoes.

Ian knew
which bedroom was Braden’s from the four or five times he’d chased or carried
Anderson down the hall—but this was the first time he’d been in it. Wow. Beyond the tall glass windows, the
moon left a pathway on the midnight black water showing sparkles of white foam.
Somewhere below, the surf crashed against the cliff, not only rumbling, but
setting up a light vibration that shivered through Ian’s feet straight into his
balls.

Man, if
anything revealed their stark differences, this room did it. Grown-up with a
capital G. Here he was living off the charity of his brother and Ken, while
Braden got to sleep in a room like this. Think of all he’d accomplished in his
thirty-six years. Of course, when it came to sex—gay sex—Ian came out on top in
the experience department by a lot—pardon the pun. That makes me feel a little better. Of course, he wouldn’t be
topping tonight. Sticking it in took a lot less practice than receiving it. Whew. That cock in his ass? Just the
thought sent his dick into heat-seeking mode.

“Admiring
the view?”

Ian looked
over his shoulder at Braden, who stood framed in the doorway. Ian smiled
softly. “I am now.”

“Me too.”

“You say the
sweetest things.”

“You make it
easy.”

“Nervous?”

Braden
grinned and leaned against the doorframe. Impossibly
sexy. “What’s the old saying? Nervous as a long-tailed cat in a roomful of
rocking chairs?”

“As a whore
in church?” Ian took two steps toward Braden.

Braden
pushed away from the door and moved forward a step. “As a prize turkey in
November.”

“As a cat at
a dog show.” Two more steps.

“As a pig in
a bacon factory.” They were only a couple of feet apart.

“As the
owner of a ceiling-fan store with a comb-over.”

Braden
barked a laugh. “I give up. You win.”

Ian slid his
hand across Braden’s cheek. A day’s
growth of beard. Nice. “What do I get for a prize?”

Braden sighed
and the words slid out like butter. “Anything you want.”

“Want to
fuck me?”

“Oh yeah.”

“Have you
done this much?”

He shrugged.
“Some.”

“Got
supplies?”

“Yeah,
although the condoms may have been used by the Neanderthals.”

“Now who’s
bragging?”

He flushed
and stared at his shoes. “I meant the age.”

“I know, but
then I’ve already met Mr. Neanderthal down there, so don’t be downplaying his
stats.” He grinned.

Tara Lain writes the Beautiful Boys of Romance in LGBT erotic romance novels that star her unique, charismatic heroes. Her first novel was published in January of 2011 and she’s now somewhere around book 32. Her best-selling novels have garnered awards for Best Series, Best Contemporary Romance, Best Paranormal Romance, Best Ménage, Best LGBT Romance, Best Gay Characters, and Tara has been named Best Writer of the Year in the LRC Awards. In her other job, Tara owns an advertising and public relations firm. She often does workshops on both author promotion and writing craft. She lives with her soul-mate husband and her soul-mate dog near the sea in California where she sets a lot of her books. Passionate about diversity, justice, and new experiences, Tara says on her tombstone it will say “Yes”!